Continuous casting machine



Dec. 23, 1958 l. PROPERZI CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 25. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. [Zarw P7 9813 BY W Dec. 23, 1958 PROPERZI 2,865,067

CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 25. 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 23, 1958 l, PROPERZl 2,865,067

CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINE I Original Filed Oct. 25. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 29 INVENTOR.

Id BY anal 710129 32 M (M United States Patent CONTINUOUS CASTING MACHINE llario Properzi, Milan, Italy Continuation of application'serial No. 542,605, October 25, 1955. This application February 6, 1957, Serial No. 638,660

13 Claims. (Cl. 22-574) This is a continuation of application Serial No. 542,605

filed October 25, 1955 now abandoned.

An improved casting machine of the general type preferred to above is described and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,710,433 entitled, Continuous Metal Casting Machine, which issued June 14, 1955, in the name of the present inventor. This patent discloses a continuous metal casting machine in which a casting drum and an idler pulley are rotatably mounted on a suitable base on spaced parallel axes, and they are encircled by an endless belt which is looped around the drum and the pulley. The drum has a peripheral groove therein, and an arcuate portion of the groove is covered by the belt to form a casting mold. The drum also has an internal annular channel adjacent the casting groove With'hollow spokes communicating with the channel so that a suitable coolant for the casting mold may be fed to the channel from the hub of the casting drum through the hollow spokes.

The cooling system disclosed in the above mentioned patent has proved to be generally satisfactory. However, in that type of cooling system the inner portion of the casting groove tends to be cooled more efiiciently than the outer portion thereof. This sets up temperature differentials across the surface of the groove, and these temperature differentials produce uneven cooling across the cross section of the molten metal in the casting groove which in some instances can affect adversely the crystal structure of the metal rods cast by the machine. In addition, these temperature differentials often produce stresses and strains across the surface of the casting groove which have a tendency to produce cracking and splitting of the surface of the groove and cause general deterioration of the casting drum.

Copending application Serial No. 393,443, filed November 20, 1953, now abandoned, in the name of the present inventor, discloses a continuous casting machine of the ,type described above and which includes a cooling system designed to equalize the temperature across the surface of the casting groove so as to obviate the conditions described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved casting drum assembly in a metal casting machine which, like the assembly of the copending application, is constructed to equalize the temperature across the surface of the casting groove so that the apparatus may produce cast metal rod of satisfactory crystal structure and which is capable of satisfactory operation over long periods of time.

More generally, an object of the invention is to provide an improved rugged casting drum assembly having a peripheral casting groove therein, and which drum is constructed in a relatively simple manner to produce uni- 2,865,067 I Patented Dec. 23, 1958 form cooling over the entire surface of the casting groove, for improved crystal structure in the cast metal rod and for longer life of the drum itself. A feature of the invention is the provision of animproved casting drum assembly which includes an annular member with an outer peripheral casting groove, which member is supported between a pair of spaced parallel side walls to define an inner chamber for cooling the inner portion of the casting groove, and which annular member is shaped so that respective outer chambers may be formed at the sides thereof to cool the outer portions of the casting groove, thereby to equalize the temperature across the entire surface of the groove.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such an improved casting drum assembly in which a coolant is introduced into the inner chamber, and from there to the outer chambers, and thence to an outlet means communicating with the second outer chamber.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: V

Fig. 1 illustrates a continuous metal casting machine including an improved casting drum assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the improved casting drum assembly, shown on an enlarged scale with respect to Fig. 1 for purposes of clarity; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the rotatable casting drum taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 1.

The improved casting drum assembly of the present invention is intended to be used in a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal, and which machine includes a casting drum rotatably mounted on a base structure with a flexible movable metal belt encircling an arcuate portion of the drum. The invention is directed to an improved casting drum assembly which includes an annular member having an outer peripheral groove formed therein and adapted to be contacted by the belt over an arcuate portion thereof on each side of the groove with the belt forming a cover for the groove. A pair of disc-like side walls are mounted in coaxial relation with the axis or rotation above the drum, and these side walls are spaced one from the other and support the annular member thereby forming an inner chamber between the side walls and the annular member. The annular member extends axially beyond both side walls and it has a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposite sides thereof. These edges define respective inner grooves in the annular member on each side of the outer groove. A first member encloses one of the inner grooves to define a first outer chamber, and a second member encloses the other of the inner grooves to define a second outer chamber.

Inlet means is provided for introducing a coolant (such as water) into the inner chamber to cool the inner portion of the surface of the outer groove; and further means is provided for introducing the coolant from the inner chamber into the first and second outer chambers to equalize the temperature across the entire surface of the outer groove so as to accomplish the objects ofthe invention. 7

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, the metal casting machine illustrated therein includes a base portion 10 having a casting drum assembly indicated generally as 11 rotatably mounted thereon. The drum assembly rotatably supported in a mounting bracket 12 (Fig. 3) and is rotatable about an axis 13. The machine also includes 'a bracket 14 which is ratatably mounted on the base for rotation about the axis 13, and the bracket supports an idler pulley at its upper end which is rotatably mounted thereon for rotation about an axis 16. The axis 16 is spaced from and parallel to the axis 13, and it is disposed diagonally above axis 13. The upper end of bracket 14 is formed into a cylindrical socket 17 which receives the bearing post 18 of the idler 15 and the socket includes a suitable spring means 19 for biasing the idler away from axis 13. A manual control wheel 20 is rotatably mounted on base 10, and this wheel is coupled to a connecting rod 21 which, in turn, is connected to bracket 14. The arrangement is such that rotation of wheel 20 moves the connecting rod rectilinearly, thereby tilting bracket 14 about axis 13.

A second bracket 22 is rotatably mounted on base 10 about axis 13, and the second bracket includes a series of teeth 23 in rack and pinion engagement with a pinion 24, the pinion being rotatably mounted on bracket 14 and actuated by a handle 25. A crucible 26 (shown partly in section) is pivoted to bracket 22 at a pivotal axis 27, and the crucible includes an outlet nozzle 28.

The above described mounting arrangement for the crucible 26 permits it to be adjusted in several directions in a manner disclosed and claimed in Patent 2,659,949 which issued November 24, 1953, in name of the present inventor. Since the actual mounting and control of the crucible forms no part of the present invention, a further or more detailed description thereof is deemed to be unnecessary.

A flexible endless metal band or belt 29 is looped around idler 15 and drum 11 and the belt covers an arcuate portion of the idler pulley and the drum with nozzle 28 extending into an outer peripheral casting groove in the drum at the line of juncture of the belt and drum in a manner to be described.

A driving motor 30 is mounted on base 10, and this motor drives a speed reducer 31 by means of pulleys 32 and 33, 34 and 35, and inter-coupling belts 36 and 37. The speed reducer imparts rotational motion to a gear 38 which is rotatably mounted on base 10, and gear 38 meshes with a gear 39 that is secured to the drum assembly in a manner to be described. This driving arrangement impart rotation to the drum assembly 11 which causes belt 29 and idler pulley 15 to rotate, with the belt being ten ioned by the spring means 19 in socket 17. Molten metal from nozzle 28 is introduced into an outer peripheral casting groove 40 in the drum assembly, an arcuate portion of the groove being covered by the moving belt 29. The groove 40 is cooled so that a solidified metal rod issues from the bottom of the casting drum at the point of departure therefrom of the moving belt 29.

As fully described in Patent 2,659,949, rotation of wheel 20 adjusts the tilt of crucible 26, since such rotation rotates brackets 14 and 22 due to the interlocking of these brackets through the rack and pinion arrangement 23, 24. At the same time, idler pulley 15 moved with bracket 14 about axis 13, to adjust the tilt of belt 29 so that the belt will not impede the adjustment of the crucible. Rotation of handle produces an independent rotation of bracket 22 about axis 13 relative to bracket 14 to adjust the lateral position of the nozzle 28 in the peripheral casting groove 40.

Other adjustments are provided for the crucible 26 and nozzle 28 as described in Patent 2,659,949 referred to above.

The present invention is concerned with an improved construction for the drum assembly 11, and details of this construction are more clearly shown, Figs. 2 and 3. The drum assembly is composed of a peripheral annular member 41 having the outer peripheral groove 40 formed therein, and which annular member is adapted to be contacted by the belt 29 over an arcaute portion thereof on each side of the groove 40 with the belt forming a cover for the groove. The assembly also includes a pair of disc-like side walls42 and 43 coaxial with the axis of rotation 13 and composed, for example, of steel. The side walls are spaced axially one from the other and support the annular member 41, thereby to form an inner chamber between the walls and the annular member. The annular member includes a series of integral fins 44 which extend radially inwardly into the inner chamber to assist in the efiicient cooling of the inner surface of groove 40. The side walls are held together by a series of fastening members in the form of hollow bolts 45 and corresponding nuts 46. These hollow bolts each has an aperture extending longitudinally therethrough for purposes to be described; The annular member 41 extends axially beyond the side walls 42 and 43, and it has a pair of annular edges 41a, 41b extending radially inwardly from its periphery. These edges are displaced axially outward from respective ones of the side Walls 42 and 43 to form respective inner groove 47, 48 on either side of the outer groove 40 in the member 41.

A first disc-like member 49 (composed for example, of steel) is secured to the side wall 43 and to the edge 41]) to'form a first outer chamber 50 between the member 49 and side wall 43, and this chamber includes the inner groove 48. The member 49 is secured to the edge 41b and to side wall 43 by a series of screws 51, and a water tight connection for the first outer chamber 50 is assured by a gasket 52. The annular member 41 is preferably formed of copper for high heat conductivity and so that water-tight connections may be made directly thereto by the side walls 42 and 43, and by member 49 Without the need for gaskets.

A second disc-like member 53 (composed, for example, of steel) of a concave configuration is affixed to the edge 41a of annular member 41 by screws 54 so as to form a second outer chamber 55 with the side wall 42 and including the inner groove 47 in annular member 41. The second outer chamber 55 is in communication with the first outer chamber 50 through the hollow bolts 45. The annular member 41 has a first series of inclined apertures or nozzles 56 extending therethrough in communication with the inner chamber between the side walls 42 and 43 and extending into the second outer chamber 55. The annular member 41 also has second series of inclined apertures or nozzles 57 interspersed with the first series 56 and communicating between the inner chamber and the first outer chamber 50. The apertures 56 are disposed so that the coolant from the inner chamber is sprayed in jet form directly against the inner groove 47; and the apertures 57 are disposed so that the coolant from the inner chamber is directed against the inner groove 48 in member 41.

The side Wall 43 is provided with a central aperture (Fig. 3) to which a support 58 for gear 39 is bolted. By bolts such as bolt 62, the support 58 has a hollow shaft portion 58a coaxial with the axis of rotation 13 and rotatably mounted on bearings 59 on support 12. The support 12, as previously noted, is mounted on the base 10. The hollow shaft 58a of support 58 communicates with the inner chamber between side walls 42 and 43, and this hollow shaft constitutes an inlet for the coolant into the inner chamber.

The disc-like member 53 has a central aperture therein coaxial with axis 13, and this central aperture communicates with a drain pipe 60 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the drain pipe being stationary and the rotatable central portion of disc 53 extending into its mouth a short distance.

With structure described above, a coolant such as water is introduced through the rotating inlet 58a in support 58 and the coolant enters the inner chamber between the side walls 42 and 43. The coolant in the inner chamber comes in contact with the fins 44 and the inner portion of annular member 41 so to' provide efiicient cooling for the bottom surface of the outer annular groove 40 in which the metal rod is cast. The coolant from the inner chamber is forced at high pressure through the apertures 57 into the inner groove 48 and through the apertures 56 into the inner groove 47. This provides adequate and uniform cooling for the sides of the outer groove 41 to produce a uniform temperature across the entire surface of the outer groove. The coolant directed into the inner groove 48 enters the first outer chamber 50 and passes through the hollow bolts 45 into the second outer chamber 55 and through the open central portion of this outer chamber into the drain 60. The coolant directed into the inner groove 47 by nozzles 56 passes directly from the second outer chamber 55 into the drain 60. In this manner, cooling circulation may be maintained and adequate and uniform cooling of the bottom and sides of the surface of casting groove 40 achieved. a

A coolant may be introduced into the inlet 58a through any suitable usual rotary valve. If so desired, the direction of circulation of the coolant can be reversed and pipe 60 form the inlet and pipe 58a the outlet.

A roller 61 is provided for holding the belt 29 tightly against the sides of groove 40 at the'point of entry of the molten metal from nozzle 28.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved casting drum assembly for a casting machine which is constructed so that rapid and adequate cooling of the molten metals therein can be realized, and in which temperature differentials and the resulting adverse effects of such difierentials are reduced to a minimum by providing uniform cooling over the entire surface of the casting groove in the improved manner described.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal and which includes a drum rotatably mounted on a base structure and a flexible movable belt encircling an arcuate portion of the drum, an assembly for the.

drum including in combination, a removable annular member having an outer peripheral groove formed therein and adapted to be contacted by the belt overan ar-- cuat-e portion thereof on each side of the groove with the belt forming a cover for the groove, a pair of side wall portions spaced one from the other and having said annular member peripherally thereof to form with said wall portions an inner chamber in the drum, said annular member having a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposite sides thereof and defining respective inner grooves in said annular member, a first wall means enclosing one of said inner grooves to define a first outer chamber, a second Wall means enclosing the other of said inner grooves to define a second outer chamber, inlet means for introducing coolant into said inner chamber to cool the inner portion of said outer groove in said annular member,

and means for introducing coolant into said first and said second outer chambers.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said annular member includes a series of annular fins axially spaced from one another and extending radially inward intosaid inner chamber.

3..ln a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal and which includes a drum rotatably mounted on a base structure and a flexible movable belt encircling an arcuate portion of the drum, an assembly for the drum including in combination, an annular member hav-. ing an outer peripheral groove formed therein and adapted to be contacted by the belt over an arcuate'portion thereof on each side of the groove with the belt forming a cover for the groove, a pair of side wall portions spaced one from the other and cooperating with said annular member to form an inner chamber defined by said side wall portions and said annular member, said annular member having a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposite sides thereof and defining respective inner grooves in said annular member, a first means enclosing one of said inner grooves to define a first outer chamber, a second means enclosing the other of said inner grooves to define a second outer chamber, inlet means for introducing coolant into said inner chamber, means for introducing the coolant from said inner chamber to said first outer chamber, means for introducing the coolant from said first outer chamber into said second outer chamber, and outlet means for the coolant communicating with said second outer chamber.

4. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal and which includes a drum rotatably mounted on a base structure and a flexible movable belt encircling an arcuate portion of the drum, an assembly for the drum including in combination, a removable annular member having an outer peripheral groove formed therein and adapted to be contacted by the belt'over an arcuate portion thereof on each side of the groove with the belt forming a cover for the groove, a pair of side Wall portions spaced one from the other and having said annular member peripherally thereof to form an inner chamber defined by said wall portions and said annular member, said annular member having a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposides thereof and defining respective inner grooves in said annular member, a first wall means enclosing one of said inner grooves to define a first outer chamber, a second wall means enclosing the other of said inner grooves to define a second outer chamber, a coolant passage communicating with said inner chamber to sup ply coolant thereto, and respective coolant passages com municating with said first outer chamber and said second outer chamber.

5. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal and which includes a drum rotatably mounted on a base structure and a flexible movable belt encircling an arcuate portion of the drum, an assembly for the drum including in combination, an annular member having an outer peripheral groove formed therein and adapted to be contacted by the belt over an arcuate portion thereof on each side of the groove with the belt forming a cover for the groove, a pair of side wall portions spaced one from the other and having said annular member at the outside portions thereof to define with said wall portions an inner chamber, said annular member having a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposite sides thereof and defining respective inner grooves in said annular member, a first member enclosing one of said inner grooves to form a first outer chamber, a second member enclosing the other of said inner grooves to form a second outer chamber, a coolant passage communicating with said inner chamber, said annular member having coolant passages therein between said inner chamber and said inner grooves, and a coolant passage communicating with said second outer chamber and directing coolant out of said second outer chamber and out of the machine.

6. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten series of fastening members for said Wall portions ex-.

tending across said inner chamber and each having an aperture extending longitudinally therethrough, said annular member having a pair of annular edges extending radially inwardly from its periphery at opposite sides thereof and displaced axially outward from respective on s of said side wall portions, a first wall means extending radially inwardly from one of said annular edges to define a first outer chamber, a second wall means extending radially inwardly from the other of said annular edges to define a second outer chamber in communica tion with said first outer chamber through said fastening members, said annular member having a first series of apertures extending therethrough between said inner chamber and said first outer chamber and having a second series of apertures extending therethrough between said inner chamber and said second outer chamber, inlet means for introducing coolant into said inner chamber to cool the inner portion of said groove in said annular member, said coolant passing through said apertures in said annular member to said first and to said second outer chambers and through said fastening members from said first outer chamber to said second outer chamber, said second wall means having a central aperture therein, and a drain pipe in communication with said central aperture in said second wall means.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said annular edges of said annular member define respectively first and second inner annular grooves in said annular member, and said first series of apertures are inclined to direct the coolant into said first inner annular groove and said second series of apertures are inclined to direct the coolant into said second inner annular groove.

8. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal and which includes a drum assembly having a removable one-piece annular member with an outer peripheral groove therein, means for mounting the drum assembly for rotation about a horizontal axis, a flexible belt engaging an arcuate portion of the groove in the annular member to cover the same and provide a casting mold for the machine, said one-piece annular member having cooling fins projecting inwardly from the casting groove on the inner annular portion of said member, a plurality of wall portions extending'radially inward from said annular member, with two of said wall portions defining an annularly extending cool-ant receiving chamber and with said cooling fins extending into such chamber, and with two additional wall portions spaced apart from one another, with one thereof on the outside of each of said first-named two wall portions and providing a first outer chamber and a second outer chamber, and means to circulate coolant through said three chambers and into contact with said cooling fins to cool said casting groove in the one-piece annular member.

9. In a machine for the continuous casting of metal rod, the combination which includes a drum assembly having an annular part with an outer peripheral casting groove therein, means for mounting the drum assembly for rotation about a horizontal axis, a flexible belt engaging an arcuate portion of the annular part to cover the peripheral casting groove and provide a casting mold for casting metal rod in the machine, said annular part having cooling fins projecting inwardly from the casting groove on the inner annular portion of said member, a plurality of wall-portions in said drum assembly extending radial'lyinward from said annular part toward the horizontal axis, with two of said wall-portions defining an annularly extending central coolant-receiving chamber and having said cooling fins extending into such central chamber, said drum assembly having two additional wall-portions and with one thereof positioned on the outside of one of said first named two wall-portions and extending to the annular part of the drum assembly and with the other thereof positioned on the outside of the other of said first named two wallportions, with said two additional wallportions thereby providing a first outer chamber and a second outer chamber, and means to circulate coolant through said central and'said two outside chambers and into contact with said cooling fins to cool said casting groove in said annular part of the drum assembly.

10. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal, a casting drum assembly including in combination, a horizontally extending one-piece mounting means comprising a shaft portion with an integral disc portion extending radially therefrom at the inner end thereof, a pair of wall portions extending radially with respect to said one-piece mounting means and spaced apart to provide an inner chamber therebetween with one of said wall portions secured to the peripheral part of the integral disc portion of said one-piece mounting means, and with said one-piece mounting means having a hollow bore over the length thereof with a mouth at the inner end adapted to discharge liquid passing through said bore directly into said inner chamber, a one-piece annular member removably mounted on said drum assembly having a casting groove on the outside peripheral portion and having annular cooling fins on the inner portion thereof extending into said inner chamber, said cooling fins having bores extending transversely therethrough in positions adjacent to the casting groove for carrying coolant, wall means on the outside of each of said wall portions providing an outer chamber on the outside of each of said wall portions and connecting with said transverse bores to receive coolant discharged therethrough, and means for removably securing said one-piece annular member to said wall means whereby to define said outer chambers.

11. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal in a peripheral groove on a rotating drum assembly in the machine, the combination in the drum assembly for directing liquid coolant to areas adjacent the peripheral groove and within the drum assembly for cooling metal being cast therein, said combination including wall structure at the peripheral portion of the drum assembly providing a pair of circular and radially extending chambers with one on each side of the peripheral groove to carry liquid coolant, an annular metal portion adjacent the bottom of the peripheral groove and extending radially inwardly therefrom into the drum assembly and positioned intermediate said pair of chambers, two w all means within the drum assembly extending radially relative to said annular metal portion and spaced apart to provide with said annular metal portion an inner chamber, means for introducing a liquid coolant into said inner chamber for circulation within the drum assembly, respective liquid coolant passages interspersedv in the annular metal portion of the drum assembly with some thereof communicating between said inner chamber and one of said pair of circular and radially extending chambers, and with the remainder thereof communicating between said inner chamber and the other of said pair of circular and radially extending chambers, and liquid coolant passage means extending from one of said pair of chambers to the other through said two wall means and transversely of the inner chamber but closed to the inner chamber, whereby liquid coolant introduced into said drum assembly at said inner chamber is circulaed therefrom to a position at said annular metal portion, is circulated out of said inner chamber through said interspersed passages and respectively into said pair of chambers on each side of the peripheral groove, and from one of said pair of chambers into the other through said passage means and out of said drum assembly.

12. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal having a rotating drum assembly and a peripheral groove thereon, the combination in the drum assembly for directing liquid coolant to areas adjacent the peripheral groove and within the drum assembly for cooling metal being cast therein, said combination including an annular metal portion adjacent the bottom of the peripheral groove and extending radially inwardly into the drum assembly therefrom, wall structure at the peripheral portion of the drum assembly providing a pair of cireular and radially extending chambers with one on each side of the peripheral groove and said annular metal portion, two wall means within the drum assembly extend ing radially relative to said annular metal portion and spaced apart to provide with said annular metal portion an inner chamber, means for introducing a liquid coolant into said inner chamber for circulation within the drum assembly, respective liquid coolant passages interspersed in the annular metal portion of the drum assembly with some thereof inclined in a direction generally related to the configuration of one side of the peripheral groove and communicating between said inner chamber and one of said pair of circular and radially extending chambers, and with the remainder thereof similarly inclined relative to the other side of the peripheral groove and communicating between said inner chamber and the other of said pair of circular and radially extending chambers, and liquid coolant passage means extending from one of said pair of chambers to the other through said two wall means and transversely of the inner chamher but closed to the inner chamber comprising a plurality of hollow members each of which has means thereon cooperating with said two wall means to position said two wall means in a fixed spaced apart position, whereby liquid coolant introduced into said drum assembly at said inner chamber is circulated therefrom into said interspersed inclined passages in said metal annular portion and respectively into said pair of chambers, and from one of said pair of chambers into the other through said passage means in said hollow members and out of said drum assembly.

13. In a machine for the continuous casting of molten metal having a rotating drum assembly and having thereon an annular removable member with a peripheral casting groove therein and an annular body portion therewith extending radially inwardly from the peripheral casting groove, the combination for supporting the annular removable member in the drum assembly and for directing liquid coolant from within the drum assembly to areas adjacent the peripheral groove for cooling metal being cast in the groove, including first two wall means spaced from one another and having said annular removable member peripherally thereof to form an inner chamber defined by said first two wall means and the annular body portion of said annular removable member, two additional wall means with each thereof secured to said annular removable member at a corresponding side and serving with a corresponding one of said first two wall means .to provide an outer liquid coolant chamber at each side of the drum assembly and outwardly of said inner chamber extending radially adjacent a side of the peripheral groove, means introducing liquid coolant into said inner chamber, and means providing liquid coolant passages out of said inner chamber through said annular body portion and through said two outer chambers to accomplish circulation of the liquid coolant adjacent the peripheral groove to cool the metal adapted to be cast therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 797,022 Scott Aug. 15, 1905 1,020,023 Bunau-Varilla Mar. 12, 1912 1,049,477 Healy Jan. 7, 1913 1,129,154 Wood Feb. 23, 1915 1,220,211 Feldkamp et al. Mar. 27, 1917 1,331,803 Carstens Feb. 24, 1920 1,717,643 Williams June 18, 1929 2,019,496 Kohlhaas Nov. 5, 1935 2,586,349 Kurtz Feb. 19, 1952 2,693,012 Harris et al. Nov. 2, 1954 2,710,433 Properzi June 14, 1955 2,749,584 Fey et al. June 12, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 517,871 Great Britain Feb. 12, 1940 712,690 Great Britain July 28, 1954 

